Luke 12:39 – And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. (KJV)

I was on my way to an appointment. I had only left the house and been driving for a matter of minutes, when I realized that I had forgotten something. I hurried back home, opened the front door and walked in. Immediately, I could sense that something was not quite right.

My husband was at work and the kids at school, so I knew that I was the only one home, but there was an eerie atmosphere that made me feel very uncomfortable.

Being very quiet, I cautiously looked around the house. To my surprise, I noticed that the back door was not closed tightly. It was not like me to leave the door unlocked, let alone slightly ajar.

Nervously, I slowly opened the door wider and peered outside. To my left, trying to hide, crouched a man whom I had never seen before.

He apparently had been watching my house, waiting for an opportunity to break in. When I returned unexpectedly and he heard me, he ran out the back door but didn't have a chance to close it tightly behind him.

A thief was crouched there, staring at me! I noticed that he had on a white shirt, and his face was not at all pleasant to look at. Although we were both startled, when he sensed my fear, he immediately made a move to come at me and gain entrance into the house once again.

I quickly slammed the door, locked it, and then … I woke up. I realized that I had been dreaming!

That dream really shook me up, but God began to teach me biblical truths about it. First of all, God showed me that the thief was the devil: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." (John 10:10a)

He came at a time when I was not home, and I was reminded of this verse: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11)

The thief had actually gained entrance, and I thought about how I am instructed in God's Word to examine myself to see if I have left a door of sin open: "Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:27)

The intruder had on a white shirt, symbolic of a wolf "in sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15). When he heard me come back home, he ran! "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

However, when he sensed fear in me, he made a move. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)

Faith overcame fear, and I was able to slam the door on the thief and lock it! "In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:37)

Through that dream, I learned many valuable lessons, and I couldn't help but say, "Lord, thank You for the victory that we have through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Prayer: Father in heaven, how thankful we are that You watch over us. We thank You that You love us and are always looking out for our best interests. Thank You for teachable moments, and for any and all opportunities that You give us to be more conformed to Your image. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

1 Comment

Amen Cheryl, thanks for a good word today!
Blessings.
That was amazing. Thank you for this reminder from God’s Holy word.
Whew! Good one, Cheryl!
“Resist the devil and he will flee”, James 4:7.
Thanks for sharing your dream with us and the lessons that you learned from it as well. Blessings.
Thank you, Cheryl, for sharing this devotional with us. Scary dreams aren’t welcome, but God’s grace is! Blessings.
Dear Cheryl,
Thank you for sharing with us your well-written story of your dream.
Keep writing for Jesus’ sake.
Hello
Wow, what a powerful word, your story had me glued and then the Word gave me relief and joy.
Yes, so true, we always have to be alert and keep the door to sin closed!!
Great devotional, thanks.
Greetings,
Thank you for this special devotional this morning. It was most interesting and inspirational the way you related scripture to each occurrence which took place in your dream.
Blessings,
(B.C.)
Dear Cheryl – thank you for this devotional. I’m glad this was just a dream – but an instructive one, none the less. Your dream was a good reminder that we know not when satan will, dressed in disguise, try to enter our lives. I have not noticed your writing before. I pray that God will continue to inspire you to write. God Bless you.
(PEI)
Hi Cheryl.
Good devotional this morning. Even in our quiet little town there have been occasions when people were working in their backyards and a thief came in through the unlocked front door and stole jewelry and easy to carry items. We always lock the doors now, even when we are in the house.
It is amazing how we will worry about human intruders into our lives but not the spiritual things which are stolen from us by influences of the outside world.
Thank you for writing.
Hi my friend,
Hope this email finds you well. I got the chance to read your second article and it was about the thief who broke into your house just minutes after you left to the appointment. You have a wonderful skill to find an analogy with each event in your life, I was very impressed with his one when you explained what will happen in just the same way when we leave the door of sin open. Looking forward to reading the next story.
Dear Cheryl,
Thank you for your devotional “The Thief”.

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Thought for Today

Two can live as cheaply as one, but for only half as long.

Verse for Today

Psalm 1:1-2 – Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. (NIV)